


Stay

by BabyLinda4



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Coda, Eddie is a man of action, Episode: s03e18 What's Next? (9-1-1 TV), Episode: s03e18 What's Next? (9-1-1 TV) Coda, Love Confessions, M/M, One Shot, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s03e18 What's Next? (9-1-1 TV), bed sharing, buddie, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:55:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24260029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyLinda4/pseuds/BabyLinda4
Summary: "Bobby once told him that in adult relationships you can’t just save the other person from their situation, you have to jump in with them."It took Buck some time to realize what that really meant.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 10
Kudos: 448





	Stay

Everyone was having a great time at Bobby and Athena’s house for May’s Graduation party, laughing and just enjoying being together. Buck had spent most of his time watching Eddie dance with Christopher. He loved to see the bright smiles on both of the Diaz boys. Buck had been more than happy to step in whenever Eddie looked like he needed a break for a drink or just to catch his breath. He found seeing a Diaz boy smile was even more rewarding when he was the cause of it. 

The party went on like that. Each person taking their turns in the photo booth. Buck instantly loved the idea of all the goofy props, especially with the way each new prop made Christopher giggle. Buck was just finishing taking pictures with Chris when he noticed Eddie walking towards them. Buck had excitedly slung an arm around Eddie's shoulders dragging him to the photo booth. It’s safe to say Buck was happily surprised when Eddie went easily. Chris stuck around to laugh at all their funny faces and silly poses.

By the time Buck had finished taking pictures with everyone he probably spent a good 30 minutes in front of that camera. He needed some air. He stepped outside to grab a drink from the cooler and fell into a bit of a daze, lost in his thoughts.

Seeing Abby again made Buck realize just how much he had changed since he was with her. Bobby once told him that in adult relationships you can’t just save the other person from their situation, you have to jump in with them. He had tried to do that with Abby and her mother, but it always felt like a struggle, an uphill battle. He thought that meant he just wasn’t good at adult relationships. Until Eddie.

Ever since Eddie had shown up to the station Buck had been drawn to him. He couldn’t explain the connection he felt. He thought maybe it was just attraction, even a blind man knew Eddie was _hot_. So, Buck just assumed it would dissipate once he got to know him. Afterall, he’s not good at adult relationships.

Buck was just as surprised as everyone else when that wasn’t what happened. Buck found out Eddie had a kid, an adorable kid, but still a kid. Buck thought maybe that would scare off whatever attraction he was feeling. Not because he didn’t like kids, he loved them in fact, but it meant that Eddie would definitely be looking for an adult relationship. Which Buck didn’t know how to do.

Suddenly Buck is hit with all these memories. Buck remembers sitting on the couch with Christopher and Eddie next to him laughing, playing video games and Eddie saying   
“This is my kind of therapy.” He remembers feeling so relieved hearing that. He remembers the heartbreak he felt when he saw the look on Eddie’s face at the market after the lawsuit. He also remembers talking about it openly with him later. He remembers sitting on the edge of a fountain with Eddie while Chris waits to see Santa thinking, _there is no place I would rather be than right here_. 

Flashforward to Buck spending all of his free time with the Diazes and loving every second of it. 

Seeing Abby made Buck realize that he had already been in an adult relationship for over two years now. It wasn’t a struggle or an uphill battle either. Yes, there were misunderstandings, fights and traumas, but it never made Buck want to run away. He stayed and fought. Every new issue only brought him closer to Eddie. It pulled him in. Buck didn’t jump into this, he fell. Hard.

Buck was shaken out of his deep thoughts by Maddie huridily saying goodbye and rushing out with Chimney in tow. 

Once Chimney and Maddie had taken off, things had started to slow down. About an hour later, Buck was looking over at Christopher and Denny passed out on the couch. Which led to Buck curiously searching for Eddie.

He finds him sitting outside on a patio chair staring up at the night sky. His eyes are so droopy and squinted from all the beers he's had that for a moment Buck thinks he's actually asleep. Then Buck steps through the doorway and a smile stretches across Eddie's face. 

“Buck!” Eddie only kind of slurs his name, which Buck figures is probably a good thing.

“Hey, buddy. You think maybe it's time to get us home?”

“Maybe...” Eddie draws out as he tilts his head back to the sky again. Then he closes his eyes for real this time and Buck takes that as a yes.

“Alright. You sit tight and I'll grab Christopher okay?”

Buck isn't sure if the small smirk he gets is a response to him or just Eddie’s drunken happiness.

Buck turns to walk back into the living room and easily bends down to scoop up Christopher from off the couch, careful to not jostle him or Denny too much. His crutches are resting against the table nearby, so he dips again to grab those too. 

Hen is watching him from the dining room table where she is sitting talking with Athena.

“I think it's time I better get the boys home.” Buck says quietly. “Thank you for an amazing party, Athena.”

“Thank you for making it through this one in one piece.” Athena smirks at him.

Buck lets out a little bit of a chuckle. He has a quick comeback on the tip of his tongue, but he glances down at Christopher sleeping peacefully in his arms, then his eyes glide over to where he can see Eddie on the patio through the window, and his comment just kind of dies on his lips. Buck thinks he has never felt so _whole_ in his entire life. 

“Yeah” is all he says in response, though. 

Athena, Hen, and now Bobby, are all looking at him with the same expression but he can't quite decipher it. He figures he's too tired to try. He just smiles at all of them, and heads for the sliding glass doors.

Getting a sleeping 8 year old and a full grown drunk man safely into a car would probably be a large task for most. Luckily, Buck is a large man who is more than up for the task. He switches Chris’s crutches to the hand holding him up so he has a free hand to gently jiggle Eddie's shoulder. Buck was hoping he'd be alert enough to walk to the car on his own. However, it is quickly apparent that we are far past that point. 

“Eddie, come on. It's time to go home.”

Thankfully, Eddie wasn't completely asleep yet, so he is still easily pliable. Buck reaches down to grab Eddie's hand to pull him into a standing position, then snakes his arm around his waist when he sees Eddie start to droop under his own weight.

“Okay, buddy, work with me here.” It takes a moment to get them balanced enough to walk. “Alright. That's it. Good.”

Eddie is leaning so heavily on him that he might as well have curled himself up under Buck’s arm like a snuggly Koala bear hanging off a tree.

Buck almost just wants to stand there a little while to really savor this moment of being fully encompassed by the Diazes. He briefly thinks that if for some reason he were to die right now that would be completely fine.

That thought passed just as soon as it came because he has to get these boys home safely. And this set up they’ve got going isn’t going to last much longer.

Buck isn’t really able to give proper goodbyes as he walks through the living room to the front door, so he settles for a quiet “bye, thanks again.”

Buck somehow manages to get his Jeep passenger door open so Eddie can slide in while he straps Christopher into the car seat they moved from Eddie's truck to his Jeep. Buck had gone to pick up the Diazes for the party so that Eddie could get a chance to relax and let loose for once. By the looks of it, I'd say it was a success.

Once Chris was strapped in, and still sleeping soundly ( _Bless this kid_ ), Buck moved to get Eddie's seatbelt on, then rounded the car to get in himself.

The drive to Eddie's house was quiet. Eddie had cracked his window open slightly and it seems that the cool night air had sobered him up just enough for him to be more functional. By the time they arrived Eddie appeared to be less dependent on Bucks help to walk. That's not to say that he didn't still cuddle close under Bucks arm when he offered. He just wasn't leaning on him as much. 

As soon as they walked in the front door, Eddie kissed Christopher’s head goodnight and walked himself into the kitchen to get some water while Buck headed down the hallway to Chris’ room.

Buck left the crutches leaning against the nightstand, where he knows Chris always leaves them, then pulled the bed covers back to lay him down. He removed Chris’ shoes, tucked him into the blankets and kissed his forehead. 

He made sure to flip on the night light before closing the door until just a line of the hallway light remained in the room.

He found Eddie standing slumped over the kitchen counter with an almost empty bottle of water in his hand.

“It’s probably best if you finish that.”

“Too tired,” Eddie mumbled. Which was unfairly adorable.

“Come on, you can do it.” Buck guided the bottle to Eddie's mouth with a hand under his wrist. 

Eddie drank the rest of the water and grinned sleepily at him. He probably meant it to be sarcastic but Buck’s guessing Eddie doesn't have much control over his body right now. 

“Am I going to have to carry you to bed too?”

“Okay.” Eddie gave him a full happy smile at that. Which was the most alert he had been all night. 

How could Buck refuse? He dipped down to sweep under Eddie's legs with one arm and his back with the other. Eddie instinctively threw his arms around Bucks neck.

“Buck! I was joking!” Buck shrugged.

“Didn’t trust you to make it all the way down the hall without waking up Christopher.” If he was being honest he just used it as an excuse to hold Eddie close. Chris had been sleeping like a rock all night. Also, he knew that Eddie must've sobered up enough to at least know to whisper shout at him, so he probably could've made it to his room on his own no problem. Still. 

The man in his arms just pouted a little bit, but Buck could tell he was only pretending to be bothered. He didn't try to squirm out of his hold. Instead, he adjusted his hands around his neck more comfortably and let his body relax into Bucks arms.

Buck carried Eddie cradled in his arms down the hallway into his bedroom. He stood on the side of Eddie's bed and did his best to gently place Eddie on the bed. Except his foot got caught on the bed frame and kind of dropped Eddie on the mattress. Eddie for his part, never let go of Buck’s neck so when he fell on the bed Buck came with him.

“You were supposed to let go,” Buck chuckled.

“Oh.”

Slowly, Eddie released his grasp, but by then the two of them had locked eyes. Buck had become acutely aware of just how close their faces were to each other. He could feel Eddie's alcohol tinged breaths ghosting over his lips. Buck didn't mind though. Buck still wanted a taste.

Buck was about to pull back when he felt Eddie tense.

“Stay.”

Eddie's eyes were so clear and earnest, but also vulnerable. Buck never stood a chance.

“Okay.” He let the smile stretch freely across his face as he watched Eddie scoot over just a bit. 

Buck bent over to untie Eddie's shoes and remove them. Then did the same for himself. As he slid under the covers he was greeted by cool softness that was interrupted by a warmth that told him Eddie was close without even having to look in his direction.

When he did turn his head, he saw Eddie staring at him from only a few inches away. He was just looking at him. Open and loving. Buck felt the sheets shift, then Eddie's finger was bridging the gap between them to stroke the backside of Buck's hand laying between them.

“Hi,” Buck whispered, careful to not break the bubble they were in. This reminded him of his thought earlier, holding Chris and Eddie. It was another one of those moments he wouldn't mind dying for, just to stay in that moment a little bit longer. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the way Eddie was inching closer and closer into his space. His mind suddenly went blank. The last thing he remembers was Eddie's deep brown eyes disappearing behind a fan of long lashes. Then Eddie's soft lips were on his. It was everything he ever dreamed of and more, because it was real. Eddie was here and he was kissing him. In his bed. Buck’s heart felt like it would explode with love and want. Want to be closer. Want to touch. Want to love.

Eddie pulled back just enough for their eyes to focus on each other's face. A jolt of fear ran down Buck’s spine when he realized that maybe Eddie was too drunk to know what he was doing. Would he regret kissing him? Would this change everything? Is he going to lose him? 

That last thought terrified him. 

But Eddie just smiled. 

Relief washed over Buck, sending tingles down to his fingertips. Then he pushed forward to close the gap again. He melted into the kiss. Feeling Eddie's hand slide across his ribs and rest somewhere between his shoulder blades, pushing into him like close just isn't close enough. It was intoxicating. Yet, grounding at the same time. This was home. Buck felt safe. And loved.

They were both too tired to do much more than kiss, but it was perfect. 

Too soon, Eddie had pulled away, but did not go far. He wiggled down a bit to fit himself under Buck’s arm, just like he had at Bobby and Athena's house, and rested his head against Buck's shoulder. He turned his face into Buck's chest to kiss a spot closest to his mouth.

Buck could feel warmth spreading throughout his body from that spot alone.

“Te amo.” Eddie exhaled then his breathing slowed, signalling that he was asleep. 

[ _“I love you.”_ ]

Buck’s heart stuttered to a stop. Eddie loved him. Eddie _loved_ him. 

The warmth he felt earlier turned into a blazing inferno that was quickly doused with ice. What if he didn't really mean it in _that_ way? What if he was delusional from exhaustion? What if...no. He decided not to ruin the moment by spiralling out of fear. Eddie loved him. He said it.

Buck chose to believe him...at least until the morning when they could talk more.

“I love you, Edmundo.” Buck placed a kiss to Eddie's head. 

Buck fell asleep feeling happy, loved and _whole_.

* * *

Bright sun was streaming in through the window and directly onto Buck’s face making him feel uncomfortably warm. When he opened his eyes, he looked down at the space next him which was empty. It took him a second to realize why that disappointed him, then he remembered where he was and last night came flooding back to him. 

He instantly panicked thinking Eddie had woken up next to him and regretted everything.

His panic was halted by a solid squeeze to his ankle through the bed sheets. 

“Morning.” Eddie smiled at him and straightened out the shirt he must’ve just put on. 

“Hi.”

Eddie huffed a laugh and shook his head slightly.

Buck didn't get why he laughed until he remembered. That was what he said right before Eddie kissed him. Well, that was a good sign.

It became an even better sign when Eddie started walking towards him. He leaned down and placed a lingering, soft chaste kiss onto his lips. 

It was over far too soon when suddenly a surprisingly quiet Christopher came barging through the door.

“Good morning!” He said sweetly with his bright smile on display.

“Good morning, little man!”

“Morning, kid” Buck's reply was less enthusiastic due to still being slightly dazed by the kiss.

Buck had wondered if Chris had seen Eddie and him kissing. Chris didn't show any signs of anything being different. Eddie also seemed unfazed. So, I guess he should be too.

“C’mon Chris, let’s go get you dressed while Buck goes to make us breakfast!”

“Yay!” Christopher cheered and turned to walk out of the room.

Eddie shuffled along behind him with his hands on Christopher’s back. Before he walked through the doorway, he looked over his shoulder and winked cheekily at Buck, who was still laying in bed, stunned.

Buck had never been so grateful to make breakfast than he had that morning. 

Later, after the breakfast plates had been cleared, Eddie and Buck were chatting about what they planned to do with their day off.

“I don't know. I was thinking maybe some laundry, maybe go to the store to get some food...I think I'm completely out of milk.” 

Eddie looked a little disappointed with his response. When he had asked what he wanted to do today Buck had immediately wanted to respond with _‘you, if I'm lucky,’_ but he would have settled for the less presumptuous _‘whatever you're doing today.’_ In the end, he went with the less desperate response to avoid scaring Eddie off before they've even really started anything. Judging by Eddie's face, he had chosen wrong.

“...or y’know. I don't _really_ need milk if I just hang out around here all day.”

“Yay! Bucky!” Chris yelled happily from the table. Buck hadn’t realized he was listening to them.

“Oh! You thought I wanted to hang out with you all day? No, no. I just meant since you guys already have plenty of milk here I could just drink yours.” He shot back just to tease Christopher.

“Buuck.” Chris smiled at him. It warmed Buck's heart that there was no doubt in Chris’ mind that he didn't actually want to stay to be with him.

“Well, okay I guess I can stay for more than just the milk.”

“Yes! Stay with us!”

Buck glanced back at Eddie.

“...if that's okay with you?”

“Always.”


End file.
